Week #2 – Clearing and Sowing

The field has been cleared and ploughed with a power-tiller

The land has been cleared, the stone walls mended where they were broken, to ensure that stray cattle are kept out and the laat-stand has been taken down to make way for a pump-house where a 1.5HP kerosene+petrol pump will be installed. This will greately facilitate the watering of the field.

Beds have been made to raise nurseries for various crops. The first round of planting consists of tambadi bhaji (visible as red patches in the photo above), radish, spinach, chillies etc…

We have gathered seeds from different places (Auroville’s Annadana, Navadayna from Deheradoon, and some from our local seed stockists in and around Panjim).

Miguel Braganza, who is closely linked with the Organic Farmers Association of India (OFAI) and the Peer Guarantee System (PGS) of organic certification is our advisor for this esperiment. He has committeed to visit Chorao once a week, every Monday afternoon to check on progress, torubleshoot and provide guidance. Thanks Miguel!

Nursery beds are covered with straw to keep the seeds warm and facilitate germination. Once the seeds sprout, the straw is moved back and they seedlings are allowed to grow under full sunlight.